Our Curriculum

Our Approach

The curriculum at King’s Leadership Academy Hawthornes is designed to be broad, balanced and enriched, so that all students, irrespective of their starting points, are able to make the step to employment, college, university and a successful career.   

Our curriculum follows the national curriculum and has been further developed and sequenced by subject experts using the latest research.  

Key Stage 3 – Foundations 

All students in years 7 to 9 study, irrespective of starting points or additional needs, study an ambitious curriculum that aims to to provide a secure transition from primary school, through Foundations and into the Senior School.   

There are five key principles underpinning the design of the curriculum: 

• All students have access to a broad and balanced curriculum that supports learning. 
• A strong focus on the core ensures that basic skills are embedded at an early stage, so that all students can access the wider curriculum. 
• An extended curriculum exists so that students have access to catch-up, extension and cultural capital via our enrichment programmes. 
• The development of character and leadership via a carefully planned programme to enhance personal development based on the school’s specialism 

The KS3 curriculum is designed to ensure that all students have a clear foundation ready for the challenges of GCSE at KS4. Classes are taught in ability groups. Students who are identified as in need of additional support are taught in smaller groups in Years 7 and 8 to allow for a more personalised approach to their learning. 

All students study humanities and Spanish until the end of Year 9 to ensure access to a broad and balanced academic curriculum.  

Additional literacy and numeracy sessions are delivered in Lesson ‘0’ by dock tutors. 

PSHE, CIEAG, RE and British Values are taught through Assemblies, Form Tutor Aspire sessions and 5 Super Learning Days which take place across the academic year.  

Key Stage 4 – Senior School 

The purpose of the Key Stage 4 curriculum studied by students in years 10 and 11, is to ensure that all students graduate to sixth form college or employment of their choice. The curriculum is broad and balanced, with a strong core in the EBacc subjects  (English, mathematics, Science, one language and history/geography) and a range of high value academic subject options such as computing, design technology, PE, art and business studies. We also offer a range of high value and ambitious vocational subjects to support the academic curriculum.  

All students study humanities and Spanish until the end of Year 9 to ensure access to a broad and balanced academic curriculum.  

Years 7-11 Closing the Gap Curriculum during Enrichment 

Students who have fallen behind are identified on a weekly basis and are provided with two hours of supported catch up sessions with SLT and support staff to make good any gaps in learning identified by subject teachers and Heads of Faculty.